Ants and Orioles: Showing the Art of Pima Poetry

Bahr (anthropology, Arizona State U.) translates the performances of two Pima singers from southern Arizona, whose songs were given to them by spirit-persons in dreams. He asserts that not only is poetry inherent in the Native American oral tradition, but that this poetry needs criticism, and explores how individual songs are combined and how the meaning of a sequence and its dream origin can be interpreted. Two co-authors from Indian communities comment on cultural matters. A cassette of songs is available. For scholars interested in poetry and in modes of textuality in other cultures. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.